Syrian Rebels ‘Seize’ Damascus’ Sasaa As Troops ‘Flee’ To Iraq, Assad’s Father’s Statue ‘Toppled’

Rebel forces advancing through Syria on December 7 claimed they were encircling the capital Damascus, marking a key milestone in their offensive. A commander from the Islamist-led rebel alliance confirmed that the final phase of the encirclement had begun. Separately, Ahmed al-Sharaa, leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, urged fighters to prepare for a decisive push towards Damascus, declaring in a Telegram statement: "Damascus awaits you." However, the Syrian government denied the rebel group's claims and rejected reports of military withdrawals from key areas. Syria's presidency also denied reports of President Bashar al-Assad fleeing Damascus, asserting that he was carrying out his duties from the capital.

Iraq has allowed hundreds of Syrian soldiers to enter its territory following the rebel offensive. Syrian soldiers, including wounded ones, crossed into Iraq through the Al-Qaim border crossing. Meanwhile, Druze militias in the Suweida province captured most Syrian army bases, leaving only the Khalkhala air base under government control. Rebel sources claimed Daraa fell under insurgent control through an agreement with the army, allowing safe passage to Damascus for military officials. Diplomatic talks among Iran, Turkey, and Russia also took place in Qatar to address the situation.

Hezbollah, an Iran-backed group, reportedly sent 2,000 fighters to Syria to assist Assad's forces, though they had not yet actively participated in the fighting. In addition, Syrian troops withdrew from positions near the Israel-annexed Golan Heights, marking the first time in years that the region was free of Syrian army presence. This withdrawal was confirmed by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Meanwhile, Israel conducted a military drill to refine coordination between its ground and air forces in response to developments in Syria. The drill was focused on testing rapid response capabilities to emerging incidents along the Syrian border.

#hezbollah #syria #rebels #worldnews

n18oc_world n18oc_crux

CRUX is your daily video news guide to the big events that are shaping our world. We track news, geopolitics, diplomacy and defence strategies and explain how they shape national policies. Crux makes sense of global developments, and analyses their impact on daily lives.

Follow CRUX on Telegram: https://bit.ly/3fnlLua
Follow CRUX on Instagram (@crux.india): https://bit.ly/3qSFx1K
Follow CRUX on Facebook: https://bit.ly/2Lte7iF
#GetCloserToTheNews with latest headlines on politics, sports and entertainment on news18.com https://bit.ly/2Y4QccL

Also watch:
Crux Decode: https://bit.ly/3MjzIoG
Crux+ : https://bit.ly/35mm97B
Crux Most Watched: https://bit.ly/3KhJ8iX